On October 22, 2025, amid the lagging development of SpaceX's (a company owned by Musk) 'Starship' spacecraft, Sean Duffy, the acting head of NASA, made a public announcement. He stated that in order to fulfill the objective of returning to the Moon within Trump's presidency, NASA would initiate a competitive bidding process for the Human Landing System (HLS) contract and contemplate bringing in SpaceX's rivals.

Duffy pointed out that SpaceX's progress was running behind schedule, which could potentially impede NASA's ambition to land on the Moon before China. He further mentioned that NASA was extending HLS production opportunities to outstanding American enterprises, with Blue Origin being a notable example.

In a sharp rebuttal, Musk asserted that SpaceX's progress was blazingly fast compared to other companies. He firmly believed that the 'Starship' would ultimately accomplish the entire lunar mission. At present, NASA has issued a request to both SpaceX and Blue Origin, asking them to submit new plans by October 29, outlining strategies to expedite the lunar landing process.